


Book

by kimbleefucker (hihowareya)



Series: Checkmate [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 03:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14907836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hihowareya/pseuds/kimbleefucker
Summary: Book: a move that a player has learned to play in a particular position in the opening without the need to “calculate”; Kimblee shows Roy something he's kept from Kanda.





	Book

**Author's Note:**

> you've probably noticed some of these are short and have no real climax or anything- they're mostly to take up space and provide small areas of characterization for larger things. namely one that will be coming that is a reunion (of sorts) for roy and solf after the war and his release from prison. i'm mostly trying to emphasize they were somewhat friends, then perhaps a one sided rivalry, to ??? when they meet next. after this i'll do another short one about their first meeting in the academy, and then the reunion. thanks for ur support

Exhaustion is what Roy felt when he exited his tent into the harsh Ishvalan sunlight, followed by guilt, hunger, and a desire to immediately return to his tent until the war was over. Unfortunately, that was a luxury he did not have. Weary and ashamed from the previous night of what he could only describe as wanton murder, per request of their own military, he felt he might gag at the thought. Everyone around him had the same eyes whenever he'd venture a glance to meet them, 'the eyes of a killer' he thought. Still this feeling wouldn't permit him any time away from the battle, and thought if he was going to be here, he might as well try to keep up some energy. 

The Flame alchemist sauntered into the larger tent, their makeshift barracks, to try to stomach some food. General Gran, his direct commander, was incredibly strict on keeping state alchemists separate from regular soldiers. They had their own table, their own group of tents, anything to keep them segregated. Roy could only guess it was because they were seen as weapons, not humans. He passed by Isaac McDougal, the Freezing alchemist, exiting on his way in. The other man gave him a knowing look, empathizing with Roy's position. Was he really that easy to read? He quickly hurried inside and made himself a plate of whatever was left- mostly bread and butter with some fruit. No matter how careful he was, it always seemed covered in sand. He'd cut his losses for now. 

Making his way to the table designated for state alchemists specifically, Roy found his pace slowing. There were a few people he didn't have any pleasure spending time with. Firstly, his foster father, before his foster mother divorced him. Wretched man, never spent a day smelling like anything other than whiskey, cheap cigars and lasciviousness. Secondly, General Gran himself, he talked too loudly and too aggressively and made Roy regret coming here in the first place. Thirdly, a member of his own squad, Solf J. Kimblee, who idly resided at said table casually flipping pages in some sort of dirty, singed notebook. Roy's last experience with the Crimson Lotus alchemist was only somewhat decent, but he knew it was all formalities (wasn't Kimblee always?)- this man cared nothing for Roy's perception of him, only kept a friendly face because he felt like it. 

Still, he was hungry, and he wasn't very well going to sit on the ground. He tried to be quiet when approaching, but of course Kimblee noticed him approaching. Because of course he did. “Major Mustang, how nice to see you.” 

“Yeah.” Roy couldn't say the same to him. He sat across from him and began to tear at his bread, only a little staler than yesterday's. He'd avoid conversation if it killed him, but let his eyes wander to the dirty book that his colleague thumbed through. Kimblee seemed somewhat scrutinizing, occasionally narrowing his eyes at paragraphs as if trying to extract information from it. “What's that?” 

“Oh this? Just something I happened upon yesterday when I was assigned to the Kanda district.” He tapped his fingers on the pages twice and it made a crunching noise, as if it could fall apart any moment. 

Roy saw the Kanda district, or what little was left of it when Kimblee was done. Absolutely destroyed, unlike anything he'd ever seen. The destructive power this man held was incomparable and Roy understood why people had started calling him the military's trump card. He would be hailed a war hero for sure. Kimblee turning a page brought Roy from his thoughts as he delicately pulled pages apart, stuck together with blood. Roy felt his stomach turn. 

“Unfortunately, it seems like it's just a cook book. Just any old cook book.” Kimblee emphasized how ordinary it was, and Roy understood his meaning. Alchemists often coded their work in things like this, and Kimblee was implying...

“Wait, you don't think Ishvalans practiced alchemy do you? You know as well as I do that it's taboo for them to even thi-”

“Perhaps, but there were rumors of some thinking it could be used against us. I found this book in the possession of a man I happened to kill yesterday in the Kanda district. Let's see, glasses, about 5'10, wound directly in the right- no, left side of his stomach.” He rattled off the details of this man and his demise with such certainty that Roy promised himself to never lie to Kimblee, he would never get away with it. “Unfortunately, it seems it's just an ordinary cook book. Still, I suppose it might be worth keeping around. Are you a fan of foreign food? You might find it useful.” Kimblee closed the book delicately and pushed it across the table to the Flame alchemist. He must be extremely confident that this book was nothing more than a regular cook book. If such a person did exist in Ishval, would they really keep notes like this on them? 

Roy picked up the book and gently turned it over in his hands. He couldn't help but notice the spine, the bindings, seemed torn, as if there were notes removed. It occurred to him that in between the regular recipes, there could have been notes. If they existed, this was a ruse, and the real ones were out there somewhere. Not wanting to be labeled a sympathizer here, Roy tucked that information into the back of his mind, thankful only the notes actually made it away from here and out of Kimblee's hands. But Kimblee of course, was already aware. Roy presumed he did not outright say it, to see if Roy would. Instead, he pushed the book back to the Crimson Lotus. 

“You're looking a bit thinner than usual, I think you might find this more useful than I would.”

Kimblee looked almost offended at first, but smirked and took it back anyway. As quickly as his sinister glance had appeared, it disappeared and he feigned embarrassment.

“So you've noticed, I guess. I can't seem to keep food down here, at least my uniform still fits.” At the mention, he stood up and left the book on the table. “I'll let you look it over a bit more still, once you've finished you can return it to me. I have a special assignment today.” 

“Doing what...?” Roy wasn't sure he wanted to know. 

“The doctors Rockbell, just seeing if they need any assistance.” Roy didn't trust his tone but he didn't question him. The military truly had no care for sympathizers it seemed. “Have a good day, Major Mustang.”

Roy watched Kimblee depart and when he was sure he was gone, he took the book out behind their tents, and burned it. If there was anything he needed there, he wouldn't find it. He would simply say it was an accident in the heat of battle. 

He'd soon find out it wasn't necessary. The Rockbells had been killed, by a wounded Ishvalan. Kimblee's team was no help to them. Only a day later, after he'd successfully destroyed any major areas of revolt, Solf J. Kimblee killed 7 superior officers without reason and was arrested- life in prison. Roy found it ironic that his arrest was caused by the murder of guilty parties, but felt safer with him gone. 

A month after that, they went home.


End file.
